Syllabus in Political Law Review

First Topic: Constitutional Law I

I. Basic Concepts

Definition of the Constitution

Types of Constitution

Doctrine of Constitutional Supremacy

Manila Prince Hotel v. GSIS, G.R. No. 122156, 03 February 1997

Tawang Multi-Purpose Cooperative v. La Trinidad Water District, G.R. No. 166471, 22 March
2011

Parts of the Constitution

Amendments and Revisions

Lambino v. COMELEC, G.R. No. 174153, 25 October 2006

Tolentino v. COMELEC, G.R. No. L-34150, 16 October 1971

Self-executing and non-self-executing provisions

Manila Prince Hotel v. GSIS, G.R. No. 122156, 03 February 1997

Espina v. Zamora, G.R. No. 143855, 21 September 2010
Oposa v. Factoran, G.R. No. 101083, 30 July 1993

II. General Considerations

National Territory

Archipelagic Doctrine
Magallona v. Executive Secretary, G.R. No. 187167, 16 July 2011

State Immunity

Department of Agriculture v. NLRC, G.R. No. 104269, 11 November 1993

Sanders v. Veridiano, G.R. No. L-46930, 10 June 1988
Arigo v. Swift, G.R. No. 206510, 16 September 2014
Vinzons-Chato v. Fortune Tobacco Corporation, G.R. No. 141309, 23 December
2009
Department of Health v. Phil Pharmawealth, Inc., G.R. No. 182358, 20 February 2013
 German Agency for Technical Cooperation (GTZ) v. Court of Appeals, G.R. No. 152318,
16 April 2009
The Holy See v. Rosario, G.R. No. 101949, 01 December 1994
China National Machinery & Equipment Corp. v. Judge Santamaria, G.R. No. 185572,
07 February 2012
JUSMAG Philippines v. NLRC, G.R. No. 108813, 15 December 1994
Air Transportation Office v. Ramos, G.R. No. 159402, 23 February 2011
University of the Philippines v. Dizon, G.R. No. 171182, 23 August 2012
Banahaw Broadcasting Corporation v. Pacana, G.R. No. 171673, 30 May 2011

General Principles and State Policies

Naval v. COMELEC, G.R. No. 207851, 08 July 2014

Pharmaceutical and Health Care Association of the Philippines v. Health Secretary, G.R.
No. 173034, 09 October 2007
Mijares v. Ranada, G.R. No. 139325, 12 April 12, 2005
Ladlad LGBT Party v. COMELEC, G.R. No. 190582, 08 April 2010
Province of North Cotabato v. Government of the Republic of the Philippines Peace
Panel on Ancestral Domain (GRP), G.R. No. 183591, 14 October 2008
Imbong v. Ochoa, G.R. Nos. 204819, 204934, 204957, 204988, 205003, 205043,
205138, 205478, 205491, 205720, 206355, 207111, 207172 & 207563, 08 April 2014
Oposa v. Factoran, G.R. No. 101083, 30 July 1993

Separation of Powers

Belgica v. Ochoa, G.R. Nos. 208566, 208493 and 209251, 19 November 2013
Abakada Guro Party List v. Purisma, G.R. No. 166715, 14 August 2008

Checks and Balances

Belgica v. Ochoa, G.R. Nos. 208566, 208493 and 209251, 19 November 2013
Gonzales III v. Office of the President, G.R. Nos. 196231 & 196232, 28 January 2014

Delegation of Powers

Bureau of Customs Employees Association v. Teves, G.R. No. 181704, 06 December

2011
Belgica v. Ochoa, G.R. Nos. 208566, 208493 and 209251, 19 November 2013

Forms of Government

III. Legislative Department

Who may exercise legislative powers

 RA 6735 (“The Initiative and Referendum Act”)

Proscription on Irrepealable Laws

Abas Kida v. Senate, G.R. Nos. 196271, 197221, 197280, 197282, 197392 & 197454, 18
October 2011

Senate and the House of Representatives

Apportionment and Reapportionment of Legislative Districts

Aquino III v. COMELEC, G.R. No. 189793, 07 April 2010
Bagabuyo v. COMELEC, G.R. No. 176970, 08 December 2008
Sema v. COMELEC, G.R. Nos. 177579 and 178628, 16 July 2008
Aldaba v. COMELEC, G.R. No. 188078, 25 January 2010

Party-list System
Atong Paglaum, Inc. v. COMELEC, G.R. No. 203766, 02 April 2013
Banat v. COMELEC, G.R. Nos. 179271 and 179295, 21 April 2009
Amores v. HRET, G.R. No. 189600, 29 June 2010

Privilege from Arrest

People v. Jalosjos, G.R. Nos. 132875-76, 03 February 2000

Privilege of Speech
Osmena v. Pendatun, G.R. No. L-17144, 28 October 1960
Pobre v. Defensor-Santiago, A.C. No. 7399, 25 August 2009

Incompatible Offices
Liban v. Gordon, G.R. No. 175352, 18 January 2011 (Ruling on Motion for Clarification
and/or Reconsideration filed by Gordon)

Forbidden Offices

Discipline of Members
Defensor-Santiago v. Sandiganbayan, G.R. No. 128055, 18 April 2001

Electoral Tribunals
Bondoc v. Pineda, G.R. No. 97710, 26 September 1991
Angara v. Electoral Commission, G.R. No. L-45081, 15 July 1936
Co v. Electoral Tribunal of the House of Representatives, G.R. Nos. 92191- 92, 30 July
1991
Dueas Jr. v. HRET, G.R. No. 185401, 21 July 2009
Vinzons-Chato v. HRET and Panotes, G.R. Nos. 199149 and 201350, 22 January 2013
 Abayon v. HRET, G.R. Nos. 222236 and 223032, 03 May 2016
Reyes v. COMELEC, G.R. No. 207264, 25 June 2013

Powers of Congress

Inquiries in aid of legislation and oversight function

Romero II v. Estrada, G.R. No. 174105, 02 April 2009
Standard Chartered Bank (Philippine Branch) v. Senate Committee on Banks,
Financial Institutions and Currencies, G.R. No. 167173, 27 December 2007
Garcillano v. House of Representatives Committees on Public Information, Public Order
and Safety, National Defense and Security, Information and Communications Technology, and
Suffrage and Electoral Reforms, G.R. Nos. 170338 and 179275, 23 December 2008
Neri v. Senate Committee on Accountability of Public Officers and Investigations, G.R.
No. 180643, 04 September 2008
Senate v. Ermita, G.R. No. 169777, 20 April 2006

Bicameral Conference Committee

Abakada Guro Party-list v. Ermita, G.R. No. 168056, 01 September 2005

One title-one subject rule

Imbong v. Ochoa, G.R. Nos. 204819, 204934, 204957, 204988, 205003, 205043,
205138, 205478, 205491, 205720, 206355, 207111, 207172 & 207563, 08 April 2014

Three readings on separate days

Abas Kida v. Senate, G.R. No. 196271, 18 October 2011

Enrolled bill doctrine

Astorga v. Villegas, 56 SCRA 714
Philippine Judges Association v. Prado, 227 SCRA 703
Tolentino v. Secretary of Finance, G.R. No. 11545, 30 October 1995
See Concurring and Dissenting Opinion of Former Chief Justice Puno in Arroyo v. De
Venecia, G.R. No. 127255, 14 August 1997

Summary of Legislative Process

Abakada Guro Party-list v. Purisima, G.R. No. 166715, 14 August 2008

Bills that must originate from the HoR

Tolentino v. Secretary of Finance, G.R. No. 11545, 30 October 1995

Item Veto/Doctrine of Inappropriate Provisions

Gonzales v. Macaraig, G.R. No. 87636, 19 November 1990

Non-legislative powers
 Informing powers

Impeachment
Gutierrez v. House Committee on Justice, G.R. No. 193459, 15 February 2011
Corona v. Senate of the Philippines sitting as an Impeachment Court, G.R. No. 200242,
17 July 2012
Francisco v. Nagmamalasakit na mga Manananggol ng mga Manggagawang
Pilipino, Inc., G.R. No. 160261, 10 November 2003

IV. Executive Department

Qualifications

Poe-Llamanzares v. COMELEC, G.R. Nos. 221697-221700, 08 March 2016

Presidential Immunity

Soliven v. Makasiar, G.R. No. 82585 November 14, 1988

Estrada v. Desierto, G.R. Nos. 146710-15, 02 March 2001
Lozada v. Macapagal-Arroyo, G.R. Nos. 184379-80, 24 April 2012
In the Matter of the Petition for the Writ of Amparo and Habeas Data in favor of Noriel
H. Rodriguez, G.R. Nos. 191805 and 193160, 15 November 2011

Executive Privilege

Neri v. Senate Committee on Accountability of Public Officers and Investigations, G.R.

No. 180643, 04 September 2008
Senate v. Ermita, G.R. No. 169777, 20 April 2006
AKBAYAN v. Aquino, G.R. No. 170516, 16 July 2008

Executive Powers

Residual Powers
Marcos v. Manglapus, G.R. No. 88211, 27 October 1989
Malaria Employees and Workers Association of the Philippines, Inc. v. Romulo, G.R.
No. 160093, 31 July 2007
Sanlakas v. Executive Secretary, G.R. No. 159085, 03 February 2004

Power of Appointment
Abas Kida v. Senate, G.R. Nos. 196271, 197221, 197280, 197282, 197392 & 197454, 18
October 2011
Velicaria-Gerafil v. Office of the President, G.R. No. 203372, 16 June 2015
Matibag v. Benipayo, G.R. No. 149036, 02 April 2002
 Sarmiento III v. Mison, G.R. No. 79974, 17 December 1987
Pimentel v. Ermita, G.R. No. 164978, 13 October 2005
De Castro v. JBC, G.R. No. 191002, 17 March 2010
In Re Valenzuela, A.M. No. 98-5-01-SC, 09 November 1998

Power of Control and Supervision

Biraogo v. The Philippine Truth Commission of 2010, G.R. No. 192935, 07 December
2010
Carpio v. Executive Secretary, G.R. No. 96409, 14 February 1992
Anak Mindanao Party-List Group v. Executive Secretary, G.R. No. 166052 29
August 2007
Funa v. Chairman of CSC, G.R. No. 191672, 25 November 2014
Villafuerte v. Robredo, G.R. No. 195390, 10 December 2014

Doctrine of Qualified Political Agency

Manalang-Demigillo v. TIDCORP, G.R. No. 168613, 05 March 2013
Manubay v. Garilao, G.R. No. 140717, 16 April 2009

Military Powers
Gudani v. Senga, G.R. No. 170165, 15 August 2006
IBP v. Zamora, G.R. No. 141284, 15 August 2000
Fortun v. Macapagal-Arroyo, G.R. No. 190293, 20 March 2012
Lagman v. Medialdea, G.R. No. 231658, 04 July 2017

Pardoning Powers
Risos-Vidal v. COMELEC, G.R. No. 206666, 21 January 2015
Kapunan v. Court of Appeals, G.R. Nos. 148213-17, 13 March 2009
Magdalo Para sa Pagbabago v. COMELEC, G.R. No. 190793, 19 June 2012

Diplomatic Powers
Saguisag v. Executive Secretary, G.R. No. 212426, 12 January 2016
Vinuya v. Executive Secretary, G.R. No. 162230, 28 April 2010
Intellectual Property Association of the Philippines v. Ochoa, G.R. No. 204605, 19
July 2016
Bayan Muna v. Romulo, G.R. No. 159618, 01 February 2011

Budgetary Powers
Araullo v. Aquino, G.R. No. 209287, 01 July 2014
Araullo v. Aquino, G.R. No. 209287, 03 February 2015

Veto Powers

Emergency Powers
Kulayan v. Tan, G.R. No. 187298, 03 July 2012
 Sanlakas v. Executive Secretary, G.R. No. 159085, 03 February 2004
David v. Macapagal-Arroyo, G.R. No. 171396, 03 May 2006

V. Judiciary

Judicial Power

Power of Judicial Review; Requisites

Imbong v. Ochoa, G.R. Nos. 204819, 204934, 204957, 204988, 205003, 205043,
205138, 205478, 205491, 205720, 206355, 207111, 207172 & 207563, 08 April 2014
Saguisag v. Executive Secretary, G.R. No. 212426, 12 January 2016

Expanded Concept
Diocese of Bacolod v. COMELEC, G.R. No. 205728, 21 January 2015
Araullo v. Aquino, G.R. No. 209287, 01 July 2014

Operative Fact Doctrine

CIR v. San Roque Power Corporation, G.R. No. 187485, 08 October 2013
Araullo v. Aquino, G.R. No. 209287, 01 July 2014

Moot and Academic Questions

Carpio v. Court of Appeals, G.R. No. 183102, 27 February 2013
Philippine Savings Bank v. Senate Impeachment Court, G.R. No. 200238, November 20,
2012

Political Questions
Diocese of Bacolod v. COMELEC, G.R. No. 205728, 21 January 2015
Belgica v. Ochoa, G.R. Nos. 208566, 208493 and 209251, 19 November 2013

Safeguards of Judicial Independence

Fiscal Autonomy
Re: COA Opinion on the Computation of the Appraised Value of the Properties Purchased
by the Retired Chief/Associate Justices of the Supreme Court, A.M. No. 11-7-10-SC, 31 July
2012
IN THE MATTER OF: SAVE THE SUPREME COURT JUDICIAL INDEPENDENCE AND FISCAL
AUTONOMY MOVEMENT VS. ABOLITION OF JUDICIARY DEVELOPMENT FUND (JDF) AND
REDUCTION OF FISCAL AUTONOMY, UDK-15143, 21 January 2015

En Banc and Division Cases

Rule-Making Powers of the Supreme Court

 Baguio Market Vendors Multi-Purpose Cooperative v. Cabato-Cortes, G.R. No. 165922
IN RE: EXEMPTION OF THE NATIONAL POWER CORPORATION FROM PAYMENT OF
FILING/ DOCKET FEES, A.M. NO. 05-10-20-SC, 10 March 2010

Administrative Supervision over Lower Courts

CIRCULAR NO. 30-91, 30 September 1991

Original and appellate jurisdiction

VI. Constitutional Commission

(To be discussed in relation to other subjects)